


Common Cat

by TheGoodDoctor



Series: Group Targets [20]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 15:21:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8332663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoodDoctor/pseuds/TheGoodDoctor
Summary: His eyrie is beautiful in the golden light of dawn, edelweiss like snow covering the meadows between the stone.





	

James opens one golden eye lazily. The mists curl over the trees far below him and the mountaintops above and around him are shrouded in cloud. He lifts his muzzle and breathes in deeply, smelling the alpine blossoms and pines in the quiet morning. His eyrie is beautiful in the golden light of dawn, edelweiss like snow covering the meadows between the stone.

James pushes his bulk off the floor with four, strong legs and rolls his shoulders, shaking his tail free of the kinks it developed overnight. He moves with surprising, cat-like grace, considering his size, and heads to the back of the cave at whose mouth he slept. In the nook in the wall, which can so easily be heated by just a little fire, curls a slumbering navy-blue dragon. He's about three-quarters of James’ size, and with every breath he puffs blue-grey smoke.

James smiles fondly and nudges him with his nose. “Morning, Q,” he says affectionately.

Q cracks open an emerald green eye irritably, then shuts it again. “Mmph,” he says.

James huffs a laugh, hot breath wrapping comfortingly around Q. He manages to open his eyes fully and smile back. “That's what I like to see,” James says.

Q flares his nostrils and huffs at him, embarrassed, pressing his nose to James’ muzzle in a kiss. James wraps his neck and head around Q’s, holding him close.

He pulls back. “Come and see the morning. It's beautiful.”

Q reluctantly unfolds from his stone cocoon and follows James to the cave mouth, stretching his limbs and shivering against the sudden morning chill which turns his breath to steam. He tucks himself under his mate's wing to fend off the cold and gazes out over the forests and mountains that they call home. “Glorious,” he murmurs, staring longingly into the clouds above and around them.

James looks down at him. “Very,” he says softly.

Q presses his side against James affectionately, then suddenly shoves and sends him tumbling over the edge. He laughs as James beats his wings rapidly in surprise, then rises to dive-bomb him. Q squeaks as James wraps his legs around his waist and lifts him into the air, then laughs at the sensation of flying without effort. When James lets go, Q allows himself to plummet straight down, hearing the wind rush past his ears loudly and whiting-out all else, before snapping his wings out and soaring back to James. James blows hot air at him and Q tucks his wings in and barrel-rolls over his back. They chase each other for a while, before allowing themselves to be caught and hanging in mid-air on a thermal, exchanging lazy kisses and playful remarks.

As the updraft moves, they begin to sink. James turns in the air and banks left, turning his head in invitation for Q to follow him. Together they appear to float through the sky, occasionally beating their wings lazily, to another, higher mountain.

They head straight for the lowest cave, turning at the last second to skim up the mountainside. The grey occupant of the cave chases them up the mountain, tilting his wingtips to rise above and alongside them. “Bloody showoffs,” Bill laughs.

A golden dragon drops from the sky above, seemingly appearing from nowhere by hiding in the glare from the morning sun. She races on ahead of them, somersaulting neatly and landing lightly own the ledge at the top. “Slowcoaches,” Eve grins.

Q huffs. “Some of us -”

“Are only little?” Bill suggests innocently, looming slightly over Q.

Q spits a flame at Bill’s foot. “No, are saving our energy for the hunt.”

“So we can go twice as far and twice as fast today, no?” says the biggest black dragon as he emerges from the cave mouth.

James twitches his tail in amusement, red scales flashing and glinting in the morning light. “We would,” Q says, “but Eve hasn't so she can't so we all can't.” He holds his head higher in satisfaction with his excuse and tosses his small horns.

“Don't pin this on me,” Eve says.

Bill nods down at Q. “You should have gone for the ‘only little’ excuse.”

Gareth laughs, swishing his tail. “It isn't Q’s fault he's so small, Bill. Don't tease him.”

Q turns on Bill. “Yeah! Wait-” he says, swinging back to Gareth.

James laughs, shaking his head, and tucks the smaller dragon under his wing. Q settles, smiling, against his side. Bill tilts the silver-mirror of his tail-tip, angling the sun into a glowing kite shape on the floor, and Eve pounces on it playfully. He flicks it around, sending the glittering shape skating over the stone and scales. 

“You're as bad as a common cat, Eve,” James says derisively. Bill angles the shape onto James’ haunch and then cackles as the crimson predator scrabbles instinctively at his own hide, eventually overbalancing and lying on his back. “I call foul play,” he says.

Bill shrugs. “I call hypocrisy.”

Gareth stands up tall and shakes his huge black wings out, taking straight off into the sky and briefly blocking out the sun entirely. Bill bounds to the edge of the ledge and dives, disappearing from view before swooping back up to hang at Gareth’s right shoulder. James and Eve chase each other into the sky and tumble, mock-fighting, at Gareth’s tail, while Q flies into place on Gareth’s left.

Gareth looks at the dragons by his side. “Shall we?” he says, and promptly folds his wings to plummet towards the forest miles below. Bill and Q grin at each other and follow him down. 

Five minutes later, Eve and James realise that they're on their own and shoot off after them.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't tell you how tempting it was to name this with High School Musical lyrics. You're welcome/I'm sorry (delete as appropriate)


End file.
